For many years the common rubber band has been the means for a person with long hair of holding it back in a ponytail away from their face. The problem with rubber bands is that they tend to break or damage the hair. Other items that are commonly used are scarfs and items that have been developed into a means of adornment like colorful fashion accessories. Presently more women as well as men have a need to hold their hair back to keep it out of their face. In many cases, there is an occupational necessity, such as in food servers, machine operators and athletes.
The elastic hair ties that can be found on the market today are very generic in their construction and design and do not effectively address the needs of the consumer. The majority of the designs on the market are a “one size fits all” product. Other companies have brought to the market elastic hair ties that are sized based on a criterion of age. Generally, they are made in adult or child's size. As a result, these products do not address the actual thickness of texture of an individual's hair. This does not allow the user to have a product that is more suited for their needs.
The products currently on the market are inexpensive and do not perform well or last very long due to basic problems with the quality of the material used in the construction. In order to keep prices low, the elastic material used is inferior and has a very short life span, both from retention of elasticity and breakage standpoint. A basic design flaw is a built-in weakness in the product where a metal “crimp” is used to attach two ends of the hair tie together that creates a point of failure when used repeatedly.
Numerous innovations for hair ties have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may he suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted. The following is a summary of those prior art patents most relevant to the invention at hand, as well as a description outlining the difference between the features of the present invention and those of the prior art.
US Patent Application Publication No. US 2009/0178690 A1 of William John Olson is directed to a hair tie, having an elastic member extendable toward opposing ends and complementary fasteners located at least two portions of the elastic member. Optionally, the invention may include an ornament holder, having a fastener configured to removably attach to an elastic member.
This patent describes a hair tie only, having an elastic member extendable toward opposing ends and complementary fasteners but does not have the capabilities of dispensing varying color elastic hair tie material to be cut to different length for varying purposes of hair restraint and decoration.
US Patent Application Publication No. US 2013/0263884 of Mariana Hogan et al. describes a ponytail cover that includes an elastic band extending between first and second free ends. Fastening portions such as Velcro portions or hooks are positioned at the first and second free ends of the elastic band and can be fastened together so as to form the elastic band into a loop to cover a ponytail holder. Strips of hair extend over and substantially cover a surface of the elastic band that is outwardly facing when formed into the loop. A ponytail holder includes a band of hair extending between first and second free ends and hooks attached to the first and second free ends can be fastened together to secure the ponytail holder when the band of hair is wrapped around a ponytail.
This patent describes a ponytail cover that includes an elastic band but does not deal with the hair tie and does not have the capabilities of dispensing varying color elastic hair tie material to be cut to different length for varying purposes of hair restraint and decoration.
US Patent Application Publication No. US 2011/0048450 of Kai-Mou Tsia A hair binder for arranging the hair is disclosed to include an elastic cord member, a clamp affixed to the elastic cord member to join the ends of the elastic cord member, and a flexible protective sleeve covering the clamp and carrying a design.
This patent describes a hair binder for arranging the hair as a unique hair tie only, but does not have the capabilities of dispensing varying color elastic hair tie material to be cut to different length for varying purposes of hair restraint and decoration.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,305,996 of Sarah Kraft et al. describes an elastic band that includes an elongate elastic core, a sheath, and an elongate friction member. The elongate elastic core comprising a continuous loop and the sheath has an outer surface and surrounds the elongate elastic core. The elongate friction member is disposed in the sheath, such that at least a portion of the elongate friction member protrudes past the outer surface of the sheath.
This patent describes an elastic band that includes an elongate elastic core, a sheath, and an elongate friction member but does not have the capabilities of dispensing varying color elastic hair tie material to be cut to different length for varying purposes of hair restraint and decoration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,672 of Feliz R. Abasta-Douglas et al. describes a looped fastener having a fabric covered elasticized member having a thin, substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration having terminal ends formed in a loop by passing the elasticized member through a hollow open ended decorative body. The looped fastener is tightened and loosened by moving the open-ended body up and down the fabric covered elasticized member. The smaller the loop, the tighter the fasten. The larger the loop the looser the fasten. Secondary open-ended bodies affixed to the terminal ends of the fabric covered elasticized member prevent the elasticized member from accidentally being pulled out of the aforementioned open-ended body.
This patent describes a looped fastener having a fabric covered elasticized member having a thin, substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration but does not have the capabilities of dispensing varying color elastic hair tie material to be cut to different length for varying purposes of hair restraint and decoration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,708 of Sherelle I. Pannel et al. describes a hair bun kit and process which allows a hair bun to be easily and quickly formed. The hair bun kit consists of a first resilient hairband, a second resilient hairband and a hair bun mold having a centered opening, an upper surface and a lower surface. An optional ornamental hairband may also be included to enhance the aesthetics of the hair bun. To use the hair bun kit the first resilient hairband is tightly wrapped around a bundle of hair strands. The secured hair bundle is then inserted through the centered opening and the hair strands are draped over the upper surface of the mold. The second resilient hairband is placed over the draped hair strands and around the lower surface of the hair bun mold to secure the hair strands. The ornamental hairband is then placed around the lower surface of the hair bun mold to complete the hair bun.
This patent describes a hair bun kit and process which allows a hair bun to be easily and quickly formed but does not have the capabilities of dispensing varying color elastic hair tie material to be cut to different length for varying purposes of hair restraint and decoration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,274 of Kathie Selbee et al. describes a removable cover for a hair band that has a fabric tube with first and second ends, the fabric tube having a longitudinally elasticized seam between the first and second ends whereby the cover is removably mountable on the hair band by sliding the fabric tube over the hair band so as to place the seam along an inside surface of the hair band.
This patent describes a removable cover for a hair band that has a fabric tube but does not have the capabilities of dispensing varying color elastic hair tie material to be cut to different length for varying purposes of hair restraint and decoration.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,841 of Bernard M. Cole describes an ornamental expansible strip for use as a yarn stretch gift packages tie and as a decorator hair tie, and the method of making the same. The expansible strip comprises an elastic core under a retained low stretch and an ornamental yarn cover embracing the same, the yarn cover comprising yarn strands which are stretched and coiled about in the same direction and on opposite side of the elastic core, the core and yarn cover combinedly possessing a stable twist, the yarn being tightly wound, and locked to the stretched and twisted elastic core.
This patent describes an ornamental expansible strip for use as a yarn stretch gift packages tie and as a decorator hair tie but does not have the capabilities of dispensing varying color elastic hair tie material to be cut to different length for varying purposes of hair restraint and decoration.
None of these previous efforts, however, provides the benefits attendant with the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser.
The present application provides for an Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser and describes a new and unique means of dispensing replaceable elastic cording within a fabric sleeve, coming in a variety of different colors to be cut to any desired length for restraining the hair or used in a variety of different stylish hair configurations.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the Elastic Hair Tie Dispenser in detail it is to be understood that the design is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.